Fluid amplifiers



1965 R. w. VOCKROTH, JR 3,202,179

FLUID AMPLIFIERS Filed Feb. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

five/men hK Vac/r20 rank utm d A 7'7'0/YNEY j m l; Q R /J y// 1965 R. wVOCKROTH, JR 3,202,179

FLUID AMPLIFIERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1962 J Rm V, m 5 mm N WM1V H. M w M T A, 7 f8 B 4 i f u a Q U 6 lfll-l I 7 3,202,179 FLUIDAMPLIFIERS Richard W. Vochroth, Jr., Corning, N.Y., assignor to CorningGlass Works, Corning, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 5,1962, Ser. No. 170,898 6 Claims. (Cl. 137--624.14)

This invention relates to fluid amplifiers and more particularly todevices by which a relatively high pressure and/or relatively highvolume stream of fluid may be controlled or directed by a relatively lowpressure fluid stream.

A fluid amplifier may not only be utilized to control a high pressurepower stream of air or other fluid, such as by deflecting or switchingsuch stream between on and off positions, but may also be constructed soas to perform the pneumatic counterpart of some of the more commonelectronic devices, such as the thyratron, oscillator, blockingoscillator, and binary counter circuit element. i

It thus has been an object of my invention to provide an improvedpositive acting fluid amplifier. I

A furtherlobject of my invention has been to provide a simplifiedconstruction for fluidamplifiers wherein a low pressure air stream maybe utilized to positively control and'deflect a high pressure airstream, irrespective of the continuity of the high pressure stream orcontrol stream.

These and other objects of my invention will be more apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following disclosure and accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an assembly drawing illustrating an embodiment of myinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assembled device of FIGURE 1 with thetop cover plate omitted;

FIGURE 2A is a fragmental sectional view in elevation illustratingatapered power channel formed in a rotatable actuator; FIGURE 3 is asomewhat schematic sectional view in elevation, with the rotatingactuator eliminated for purposes of clarity, illustrating variousfeedbacks which may be utilized withthe device shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3A is a schematic sectional view in elevation similar to FIGURE3, illustrating a modified form of feedbacks which may be utilized withthe device shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view with the cover plate omitted, similar to thatshown in FIGURE 2, illustrating various input connections which may beutilized to produce a two-legged and gate unit;

v United States Patent O lugs or stop abutment portions 17, 18, and 19,extending radially inwardly, which in effect produce arcuate segments orsectors 20, 21, and 22 therebetween.

The rotatable actuator 12 comprises a disc-like body portion 23 having aplurality of arcuately spaced-apart peripheral recessed portions 17a,18a, and 19a which form a plurality of radially extending lugs orprojections 20a, 21a, and 22a therebetween. As shown in FIGURE 2, thelugs or projections 20a, 21a, and 22a are adapted to cooperably rotatewithin the arcuate segments or sectors 20, 21, and 22 respectively, whenthe rotatable actuator 12 is operably positioned within the actuatorhousing 13. The side wall portions of lugs 20a and 21a are provided withpressure responsive surfaces or reaction areas X, Y, and Z, which are incommunication with control input passageways A, B, and C, respectively.

A power channel 24 extends through the rotatable ac tuator 12, and ispositionable for communication with a power input passageway. When asingle arcuate power input passageway is utilized such as 15, the powerchan- 'nel is in constant communication therewith. The top cover member11 is provided with a first power output orifice or passagway 1, and asecond power output orifice or passageway 2 which, depending upon theorientation of the rotatable actuator 12, are in alternate communicationwith the power channel 24. A pair of power input passageways, inalignment with-power output passageways 1 and 2, may be substituted forthe single arcuate passageway 15. The stop abutment portions 13 and 19FIGURE 5 is an assembly drawing of a further embodiment of my invention,and, v

FIGURE 6 is a fragmental side elevational View in section of theassembled device shown in FIGURE 5,

Referring now to the drawing andparticularly FIG URES l and 2, theactuator assembly comprises a cover plate 11, a rotatable oroscillatable actuator 12, an actuator housing 13, and a bottom plate 14.The thickness of the actuator 12, which is the only movable part of theassembly, is a few thousandths of an'inch less than the thickness of thehousing, rotate in' performing its switching functions.- The coverplate, actuator housing, and bottom plate, are hermetically sealedtogether by any suitable means, with the rotatable actuatorpositionedtherewithin.

' The bottom plate 14 is provided with at least one] powerinput openingor passageway 15 extending therethrough, which may be of an arcuateshape, and a plurality of control inlet ports, input passageways ororifices A, B, and C. The actuator housing 13 is provided with acircular recessed portion16 having a plurality of divider so that theactuator is free to limit the travel or amount of rotation of projection22a, and accordingly function as end stops for the oscillatable actuator12 to position the channel 24 in selective alignment with outputpassageway 1 or 2.

When the actuator 12 is in the position shown in FIGURE 2, the powerstream supplied at a suitable power input passageway such as 15 isdirected through the power channel 24 and outwardly through power outputpassageway 2. A control pressure supplied at either input A or Bwouldreact against pressure responsive surfaces or reaction areas X or Y,respectively, and cause the actuator 12"to rotate counterclockwiseandswitch the power stream, passing through power channel 24, from poweroutput passageway 2 to output passageway 1. Such a fluid amplifierrepresents an or gate configuration as may be utilized in digitalcomputers.

If the shapes of the power channel 24 and the power output channels 1and 2 were changed, and the control pressures were appliedsimultaneously at inputs A, B, and C, then the wave form of the airpressure at the power outputs plotted against time could be made torepresent a process which acts as a function of variables A, B, and C.Further, scaling may be accomplished by either providing constrictions,such as valves, in the lines leading to these control inputs, or byshaping the actuator at manufacture so that the surface areas acted uponby the control pressures are unequal.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic illustration showing how the device of FIGURE 2may be made into an oscillator. By providing feed-back lines from thepower output passageway 1 to control input orifice C, and from poweroutput passageway 2 to control input orifice A, the device of FIGURE 2may be made into an oscillator whose frequency may be varied and/orunbalanced by suitable constrictions or plenum chambers in the feedbacklines. In operation, a power stream directed outwardly through poweroutlet 2 is partially fed back into control input passageway A where itreacts against pressure responsive surface X to rotate the actuator 12in a counterclockwise direction and switch the stream to power outletorifice 1. However, as the stream egresses from power outlet 1, aportion is fed back into control input orifice C where it reacts againstpressure responsive surface Z and rotates the actuator clockwise toswitch the power stream back to power outlet passageway 2, with thecycle continuously repeating itself. Control input orifice B is ofcourse unnecessary and is omitted in this configuration. If only onefeedback line were present, the device would become a blockingoscillator whose pulse duration could be controlled by a suitableconstriction or plenum chamber with in the line. i v v It the shape ofthe actuator shown in FIGURE 2 were constructed in a non-symmetricalfashion so that the surface area Z, acted upon by a control input at C,isgreater than the area acted upon by an input at orifice A or B butless than the sum of areas X and Y, and a control pressure is alwayspresent at input C, then an and gate construction would be represented.Neither a control input at orifice A nor B alone could switch the powerstream output 2 to power output 1, however, a control input at both Aand B could overcome the force exerted by the control input at C.

FIGURE 4'respresents a two-legged type of an and ate construction. Theressure reaction area Z is larger than either. of the pressure reactionareas A or'Y. An input passageway 25 communicates with input orifices Band C, which in turn communicate with pressure re action areas Y and Z,respectively. A second input passageway 26 communicates with inputorifice A and C", which in turn communicate with pressure responsivesurface. areas X and Z respectively. When a control pressure is suppliedat either input 25 or input 26 alone, the pressure .at Z holds theactuator in the clockwise rotated position, because the area Z isgreater than the area X or Y acted upon by the inputs. However, when acontrol pressure is supplied at both input passageways 25 and 26, thecombined area of X and Y: are greater thanthe area Z, and accordinglythe actuator is rotated counterclockwise, thus shifting the power streamto the other power output passageway. Check valves V, V are positionedwithin the control lines to orifices C and C" to prevent cross flowbetween input passageways 25 and 26. p I p V The two-legged and gatedevice has a slightly difier- 'ent operation than the standard and gateconstruction.

1n the latter construction, there is always a control pressure presentat input C,'resulting in the clockwise rotation of the actuator 12 whencontrol input pressures at orifices 'A and/ or B are idle; whereas inthe former device, a control input pressure is not necessarily alwayspresent at orifices C and C", and accordingly when a control pressure issupplied at both input passageways 25 and 26 and then released, theactuator is rotated to its counterclockwise position and remains thereuntil a single pulse is supplied at either of the input passageways.This feature may be utilized to function as a memory device on the orderof a magnetic core in a computer core memory.

' A pneumatic counterpart of a thyratron may be created by tapering thepower channel 24, of FIGURE 2 in the mannershown at 24' in FIGURE 2A, sothat the side wallportions of the channel taper inwardly or convergetoward theoutlet end, thus producing a channel having a larger diameteradjacent the power input orifice 15 than power outputv orifices 1 or 2.Once the'power channel is in communication with one of the'power outputsand a power stream is applied to the power input passageway, the powerstream will react against the sides of the tapered power channel it itshould move off center to lock the ac tuator in position, so thatfurther control inputs will not have enough force to rotate the actuatorto the other power ouput while the power stream is being passed throughthe tapered power channel.

A further embodiment of a pneumatic counterpart of a thyrotron may beproduced by reversing the feedback lines of FIGURE 3 in the manner shownin FIGURE 3A, so that the feedback line from output orifice 1communicates with control input orifice A, and the feedback line'fromoutput orifice 2 communicates with control input orifice C. Accordingly,when the power channel 24 is in alignment with output orifice 2, a largefeedback pressure fiowing into control input orifice C would reactagainst pressure responsive surface Z to lock the actuator in positionso that a small control input pressure at input orifice A, reacting onpressure responsive area X, would be insufii cient to rotate theactuator. A similar situation would, of course, exist when the powerchannel 24 is in communication with outlet orifice 1, wherein a largefeedback pressure communicating with input orifice A would prevent asmall control input pressure at input orifice from rotating theactuator. Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6, a further modification of apneumatic or fluid amplifier embodying my invention is shown.The'assembly, like the device shown is FIGURE 1, consists of a top coverplate 111, a rotatable actuator 112, an actuator housing plate 113, anda bot! tom plate 114. The bottom plate is provided with at least onepower input passageway such as arcuatepassageway 115, and a pair ofcontrol input passageways or orifices a, b. The actuator housing 113 hasa cylindrical recessed portion 116, within which the rotatable actuator112 is positionable for predetermined arcuate rotation.

, The rotatable actuator 112 is provided with a pair of inclindedcontrol channels 117a, 118a, having surface reaction areas x, y,respectively. Apower channel 124, which may be in constant communicationwith an arcuate input passageway such as-11 5, extends vertically withina peripheral surface'of the actuator 112, and is adapted to alternatelycommunicate with power outlet ports or passageways 101 and 102 formedthrough the cover plate 111. A plurality of control outlet ports 117 and118, formed in the cover plate 111, are positioned to communicate withcontrol channels 117a and 118a respectively. An ar'cuate slot 125,formed in the cover plate 111 is adapted to receive a travel limitingpin 125a, extending upwardly from the top surface of the rotatableactuator 112, which limits'thearcuate rotation thereof: y

In operation, a power stream entering the power input 115 passes throughthe power stream channel 124 and out through one of the two power outletorifices 1111, 102, depending upon the orientation of the actuator 112at that moment. When a control stream is directed through either controlinput orifice a or b in the bottom of the cover plate114, theimpingement of such stream upon the surface reaction area 'x or causesthe actuator 112 to rotate through an are limited by thetravellimiting'pin 125a riding within the slot 125. As shown, a controlstream supplied to the control channel 117a positions the actuator sothat the power stream channel 124 is in communication with power outputorifice 102, whereas a control stream supplied to control channel 118positions the actuator in its counterclockwise-most position with thepower channel 124 in communication with power outlet 101-. The powercontrol channels, as shown in FIGURE 6, are never completely blocked offat the control input and control output orifices.

, Although I have disclosed the now preferred embodiments of myinvention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made thereto without departing from thespirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A fluid amplifier comprising, a housing body having a top coverplate, .an actuator housing plate with a recessed portion formedtherewithin, and a bottom plate all hermetically sealed together; anoscillatable plate-like actuator positionedwithin the recessed portionof said housing plate for limited rotation therewithin; saidIhousingplate having a plurality of lug portions extendingradially inwardly ofsaid recessed portion; a plurality of control input orifices extendingthrough said bottom plate, and communicating with said recessed portioninterme-. diate the radially extending lug portions; outwardly exf.

tending projections formed on said oscillatable actuator projectingbetween said lugs and having pressure responsive surface areas incommunication with said control input orifices; a power stream channelformed in said actuator in constant communication with a power inputorifice formed through said bottom plate and positionable for selectiveindividual communication with a plurality of power output passagewaysformed in said top cover plate; and said pressure responsive surfaceareas being selectively energized by fluid pressure supplied at apredetermined control input orifice to rotate said actuator and positionsaid power channel in communication with a desired power outputpassageway.

2. A pneumatic oscillator comprising a housing body having a centralrecessed portion with an oscillatable actuator positioned therewithin, apower channel formed in said oscillatable actuator in constantcommunication with a power input orifice and positionable for alternatecommunication with a pair of power output orifices, means for limitingthe degree of rotation of said oscillatable actuator so that at each ofits end limits the power channel is in alignment with one of the poweroutput orifices, a pair of opposing fluid pressure reaction areas formedon said oscillatable actuator, a control input orifice in communicationwith each of said reaction areas, and feedback means extending from eachof said power output orifices to the control input orifice incommunication with the pressure responsive reaction area which tends torotate the actuator in the direction necessary to position the powerchannel in communication with the other power output orifice.

3. A pneumatic counterpart of a thyratron comprising a housing bodyhaving a central recessed portion with a rotatable actuator positionedtherewithin, a tapered power channel formed in said rotatable actuatorwith a relatively large diameter inlet end in constant communicationwith a power inlet port and a relatively small diameter outlet endpositionable for preselected individual communication with a pluralityof power outlet ports, pressure responsive reaction means for rotatingsaid actuator to position said power channel in communication with apreselected power outlet orifice, and side wall portions of said taperedpower channel converging toward its outlet end to such a degree that apower stream acting against such side wall portions locks the actuatorin position and prevents a pressure responsive reaction means forrotating said actuator while the power stream is flowing through saidpower channel.

4. A two-legged and gate fluid amplifier comprising, a housing bodyhaving a central recessed portion with a disc-like rotatable actuatorpositioned therewithin, said actuator having a plurality of pressureresponsive reaction areas designed to rotate the actuator in opposite directions between two predetermined end points, a power channel formed insaid actuator in constant communication with a power input orifice androtatable between said end points for selective alternate communicationwith a pair of power output orifices, two of said pressure responsivereaction areas having substantially equal surface areas and positionedso as to facilitate the rotation of said actuator in one direction; athird of said pressure responsive areas having a larger surface areathan either of said first mentioned surface areas taken singularly, butsmaller than their combined surface areas, and positioned to facilitatethe rotation of said actuator in an opposite direction; a first controlinput passageway in communication with one of said substantially equalsurface reaction areas and said third surface reaction area; and asecond control input passageway in communication with the other of saidsubstantially equal surface areas and said third surface reaction areaso that when a control pressure is supplied at either control inputpassageway the actuator will be urged to rotate in said oppositedirection, whereas when control pressures are supplied at both inputpassageways the actuator will be urged to rotate in said one direction.

5. An and gate type of fluid amplifier comprising, a housing body memberenclosing a rotatable actuator positioned for limited oscillation withina recessed portion formed in said housing body member, a plurality ofarcuately spaced apart lug portions extending radially inwardly of saidrecessed portion, a plurality of outwardly extending projections formedon said rotatable actuator projection between said lug portions,pressure responsive reaction areas formed on said projections, aplurality of said reaction areas being responsive to fluid pressure torotate said actuator in one direction and at least one of said reactionareas being responsive to fluid pressure to rotate said actuator in anopposite direction, a power stream channel formed in said actuator inconstant communication with a power input orifice and positionable forselective individual communication with a plurality of power outputpassageways, and means communicating with said reaction areas forselectively energizing individual pressure responsive reaction areaswith fluid pressure to rotate said actuator and position said powerchannel in communication with a desired power output passageway.

6. A pneumatic counterpart of a thyratron comprising, a housing bodyhaving a central recessed portion with a rotatable actuator positionedtherewithin; a first and second power output passageway formed in saidhousing body, a power channel formed in said rotatable ac tuatorcommunicable with a power input means and selectably alternatelycommunicable with each of said power output passageways; a pair ofpressure responsive surface reaction areas on said rotatable actuatorfor rotating said actuator in opposite directions; a pair of controlinput orifices, one of said orifices communicating with one of saidpressure responsive reaction areas for supplying fluid pressure torotate said actuator in one direction and position said power channel inalignment with said first power output passageway, and the other of saidorifices communicating with the other of said pressure responsivereaction areas for supplying fluid pressure thereto to rotate saidactuator in an opposite direction and position said power channel inalignment with said second power output passageway; a feedbackpassageway communicating between said first power output passageway andsaid one control input orifice, and a second feedback passagewaycommunicating between said second power output passageway and said othercontrol input orifice so that when the power channel is in alignmentwith either of said output passageways, a feedback pressure actingthrough a control input orifice locks the actuator in position andprevents a small control input pressure supplied to an opposing reactionarea from rotating said actuator.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 594,954 12/97Jendis 137-62542 648,695 5/00 Krone 251-59 XR 1,014,070 1/12 Laxton137-625.42 1,055,781 3/13 Mitchell 137-62543 XR 2,443,333 6/48 Tucker251-59 X 2,815,037 12/57 Starrett 137-271 2,982,297 5/61 Modes 137-2713,057,551 10/62 Etter 137-625.48 X

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner. LA VERNE D. GEIGER, Examiner.

2. A PENUMATIC OSCILLATOR COMPRISING A HOUSING BODY HAVING A CENTRALRECESSED PORTION WITH AN OSCILLATABLE ACTUATOR POSITIONED THEREW%ITHIN,A POWER CHANNEL FORMED IN SAID OSCILLATABLE ACTUATOR IN CONSTANTCOMMUNICTION WITH A POWER INPUT ORIFICE AND POSITIONABLE FOR ALTERNATECOMMUNICATION WITH A PAIR OF POWER OUTPUT ORIFICES, MEANS FOR LIMITINGTHE DEGREE OF ROTATION OF SAID OSCILLATABLE ACTUATOR SO THAT AT EACH OTITS END LIMITS THE POWER CHANNEL IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE OF THE POWEROUTPUT ORIFICES, A PAIR OF OPPOSING FLUID PRESSURE REACTION AREAS FORMEDON SAID OSCILLATABLE ACTUATOR, A CONTROL INPUT ORIFICE IN COMMUNICATIONWITH EACH OF SAID REACTION AREAS, AND FEEDBACK MEANS EXTENDING FROM EACHOF SAID POWER OUTPUT ORIFICES TO THE CONTROL INPUT ORIFICE INCOMMUNICATION WITH THE PRESSURE RESPONSIVE REACTION AREA WHICH TENDS TOROTATE THE ACTUATOR IN THE DIRECTION NECESSARY TO POSITION THE POWERCHANNEL IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE OTHER POWER OUTPUT ORIFICE.